16. Austin

Chapter sixteen

Austin

T he next morning, I woke up alone in the bed. Not that I’d expected Dante to be there. No, what we’d done yesterday was a product of pent-up emotions and hatred.

Hatred for him and what I’d seen him do, and what he’d done.

One thing I couldn’t forget was the flavour of him on my tongue. I touched my lips, wishing to taste the tang of his release, but there was nothing.

I stretched, pointing my fingers and toes, tensing and releasing my muscles. I’d never felt so rested, yet the bed was no more comfortable than the one I had at home.

Home. My fear for Grandpa surged up again, although Dante had assured me nothing would happen to him.

What the fuck was I supposed to do on my own here all day? I made my way to the bathroom to pee, then followed the powerful aroma of coffee coming from the kitchen.

I poured myself a mugful and walked into the lounge, where Dante and Conrad were chatting with another man I didn’t recognise.

“I see you’ve made yourself at home.” Dante smiled.

“You won’t let me go home, so I’ll make the best of a poor job.”

The apartment was fancier than anything I’d stayed in, even my childhood home.

Which was full of painful memories and antique furniture.

This was modern and held no reminder other than of me on my knees in front of a man I should hate, but I was finding it harder to do with each passing moment.

I’d heard him return in the early hours of the morning, felt the bed dip as he sat next to me, smelt his subtle aroma.

I’d held still, not wanting to let him know I was awake, wondering what he’d do. I hadn’t expected the tenderness he’d shown after the events before.

Funny, but I hadn’t feared for my life, even if every sign was telling me he’d gladly kill me.

Instead, our animosity towards each other had manifested differently, one I’d happily repeat.

“Care to share your thoughts?” Dante smirked and looked pointedly at my groin. I glanced down. Fuck.

“I think you know where they might be.” I refused to be intimidated by him, devil or not.

I didn’t want to disturb them any more than I’d done already, so I grabbed the bag Dante had packed and my laptop and returned to the bedroom.

I dressed quickly and, sitting on the bed, logged onto my laptop and opened Messenger.

“What’s the Wi-Fi code?” I shouted.

“Here.” Conrad handed me a piece of paper. “It’s on here.”

“Oh, cheers.” I input the code and was bombarded by an influx of messages, most from Freddie and Pete.

“Where the fuck are you?”

“Why haven’t you come home?”

Questions, questions, and more questions.

I scoured the messages for anything about Joel, but nothing popped up. Social media had no further insights either. Strange, considering how he’d died. I knew Conrad had moved the body; he’d told Dante as much.

I sat back against the wall. What the fuck was going on?

Should I message Pete? A message from Freddie appeared.

Freddie: Austin? Is that you?

Who the fuck else would it be? But I tamped down my irritation and responded.

Austin: Yeah, it’s me. Are you okay?

Freddie: Yeah. Wondering where you are. Am having bad dreams.

Austin: What kind?

Freddie: I keep seeing Joel dead and you shooting him. You didn’t, did you?

Fuck. I thought they’d wiped his memory.

Austin: I didn’t shoot him. Where is he?

Freddie: Nobody knows. He disappeared like you did. Can we meet somewhere?

Dante had me locked down so tight I wasn’t sure I could get away. I had to try, though, for Freddie’s sake.

Austin: Sure. Where are you now?

Freddie: I’m at home, but I could meet you at the park. You know, where we used to go. I need to get out of the house.

Austin: Sure. I can be there in an hour.

What excuse could I use? The easiest and most believable would be Grandpa, but even if Dante allowed me to go, he’d no doubt send someone with me.

That meant giving them the slip.

I had to try, though. I’d known Freddie far longer than Dante, and he needed my help.

I sauntered back into the lounge and leant casually against the wall.

“I need to go see Grandpa. I’ll not be long and be back in an hour.”

Dante frowned, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

As if I cared. He couldn’t keep me prisoner here. My life was my own.

“Look, I get you’re concerned, but I’ll be fine. I’m lucky, remember?”

“I said no.”

“And I said I’m going.”

“Austin.” Dante’s voice changed, and a tinge of black darkened his horns.

“Then send someone with me. Conrad will come with me, won’t you?”

Dante trusted him, and I’d stand a better chance of getting out of here with him. Not sure quite how I was going to give him the slip, but I’d figure that out later.

“Don’t drag me into this.” Conrad held up his hands. “Dante said no.”

“But I need to make sure Grandpa’s okay. Yesterday unnerved us both. He’s old, and I have to check he’s fine.”

I wasn’t lying. I might slip out to see Freddie, but I intended to visit Grandpa too. He wasn’t used to being on his own for so long.

As if sensing my need to go to him, Dante nodded. “Conrad, go with Austin and make sure you keep him safe. Do not lose sight of him for one moment.”

“I promise I’ll behave.” I crossed my fingers behind my back. Not that I needed the luck. I was born with it.

“Take the car and be back here within two hours. Understand?”

Conrad looked at me and shook his head. “You’ll be the death of me, I swear. No funny business.”

I smiled sweetly and put on my coat and trainers. Ah, my own clothes. I already felt better.

I followed Conrad out and into the parking garage under the casino, where we got into the car we’d arrived in the previous day.

He squeezed himself into the driving seat. It was a big car, but still his height made him look like a giant driving a toy car.

The streets became more familiar, but I kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Something wasn’t sitting right with me, and the ill-feeling I’d had before returned, a chill settling in my bones and not just from the frigid temperatures.

We pulled up outside the house, and I jogged up the front path and opened the door. Grandpa never kept it locked. He said if ever he needed help, he didn’t want them battering down the door to get to him.

“Hey, Grandpa. It’s me.”

“Austin? Is that you?”

“Yeah. Are you okay?”

“When are you coming home? I need my tablets, and there’s no one to cook my dinner.”

“Stan, you know that’s not true. Don’t believe him, Austin.”

I breathed a sigh of relief as Amber appeared at the kitchen door.

I rushed to her and hugged her tight.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Looking after him. I might need you to do it for a couple more days. Is that okay?”

“Of course. I don’t know what you’ve got yourself mixed up in, but I’ll take care of him until you come back. Just don’t take too fucking long.”

“It’s been a couple of days. Don’t tell me you’ve missed me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

As much as I’d regretted asking her, it had been the right decision.

“I need to slip out for an hour, but I need to get rid of the big guy. Can you help me out?” I whispered.

“Sure. Let me see what I can do.”

She winked and walked into the kitchen.

“Let’s go sit, Grandpa.” I led him back into the lounge to sit and tucked his blanket around his legs.

A crash, then a squeal came from the kitchen, and as I knew he would, Conrad dashed to help.

That was my chance to leave.

“I’ll be back soon.” I kissed Grandpa quickly on the forehead and left through the front as quietly as I could, needing as much space between me and Conrad before he realised I was missing.

No one was waiting for me outside the door, and I jogged the half a mile to the playground. I slowed and glanced around me. I didn’t see anything amiss, nor could I spot Freddie.

Where the hell was he?

The playground was where we’d spent much of our youth, secluded as it was behind a patch of trees. Many days and nights drinking, having sex, getting high. It brought back memories, not all of them pleasant.

I checked my watch. I wasn’t late, but that eerie feeling I’d had when we’d entered Temptation hit me again. Something felt off.

I waited at the treeline, not wishing to step out into the open yet.

I didn’t have to wait long. Freddie shuffled towards the swings, his hands deep in his pockets, his hood up, and stood with his back to me.

Slowly I approached him. He turned. My stomach churned, and bile rose in my throat. A split lip and a black eye. Who would do such a thing to him?

“What the fuck happened?” I hurried to him and dabbed the tender skin around his eye.

“I happened.” Joel’s Uncle Nick stepped into view. Where the fuck had he come from? I’d not heard him draw near.

“You fucking bastard. Why?”

“He said you killed Joel.”

“Whoa, now wait a minute.” I held up my hands and backed away. Fuck, four men blocked my way. When had they arrived?

He had it all wrong, but what had Freddie said? He’d seen me shoot him. No fucking way. Dante had killed him.

“Joel was my friend. I’ve known him for years. Why would I fucking shoot him?”

“You tell me, but you’ve fallen on your feet. Staying in the swanky casino with the fake they call the devil.”

Little did he know Dante was the real fucking deal. No pretending there.

“I swear to you I didn’t fucking kill Joel. I loved him.”

“I’d love to believe you, but here’s the thing, Austin. Joel was working for me. So, by definition, you work for me too. Here’s the deal. You get the money you stole, and you bring it to me. It’s as simple as that.”

“Not gonna happen. They took all the money back. I don’t have it.” And now it became clear. Nick was interested in the money and nothing else.

“I thought you might say that, so I brought some friends along to persuade you to do the right thing.”

More men appeared out of nowhere and closed in on my position. I was surrounded and had nowhere to escape.

I’d not be getting out of here alive, but there was no way I’d work with Nick anymore. I’d been too far invested before to pull out at the last minute with the casino job, although in hindsight, I should have done so for many reasons.

“Now, Austin, be a good boy and come with us. We have a lot to discuss.”

I looked at Freddie, who seemed fucking terrified. His hands shook as he swiped a tear from his face. I couldn’t risk them beating him anymore, but I couldn’t go with them.

I shook my head. “I’m not coming with you. Kill me if you must, but I’m done working for you.”

“Austin, Austin, Austin. You’re not leaving me with many choices here.”

I didn’t fucking care.

I bounced on the balls of my feet, readying myself to make a break for it. But I couldn’t take Freddie with me. He was a mess and in no fit state to run. Could I escape? Was there a gap I could sneak through?

“Don’t do it, Austin. There’s nowhere you can run to, and I’d hate for anything to happen to your grandpa. He’s such an old man, living in that house on his own with no one to look after him now you’re shacked up with the devil.”

“You touch him, and I’ll fucking kill you. You leave him out of it.”

“Like you did with Joel? How could you kill him in cold blood?”

“You have a problem with how he died. You take it up with me.”

Dante’s voice boomed across the playground. He strode towards us, his horns gloriously long and black.

I didn’t need him to fight my battles for me, but I was more than happy to see him today. Conrad must have told him of my escape, and he’d found me.

The moment he reached me, he placed a firm hand on my shoulder, and I knew I was safe. He’d not let anything happen to me.

“Stay close,” he whispered, his breath tickling my ear, and despite the dire situation, I shivered.

“Go home. You’re just a wannabe, a poor lookalike. You think you’re the devil? You’re nothing but a fraudster. Do you not see how many of us are here?”

“I do, and I’m pretty sure you don’t know who half of these men are. Where did you find these monkeys? At the circus?”

“Oh, you think you’re funny, do you? I didn’t have to look far. The moment I mentioned Austin here, men came out of the woodwork, wanting a piece of the action.”

I looked over at Conrad, who’d joined us. Were these the men they’d warned us about?

“Seems you’re famous.” He grinned. He seemed to be enjoying this.

“I’m not gonna like this, am I?” I had a bad feeling shit was going to go down.

“Nope. I can almost guarantee it.” Dante smiled broadly, his perfect skin glowing in the dull afternoon light.

He pushed up the sleeves on his black top and cracked his knuckles.

“Ready?” He turned to Conrad and nodded.

“As always.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, not wishing to see the carnage I knew was about to happen.

I’d seen him kill Joel with a click of his fingers, but I had a feeling he would show these men no mercy, and for once, I hated being right.